Chapter 742:

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“The evening will continue for quite some time. You two could rest over there while we handle this matter. The necklace will arrive shortly.”

Katherine turned to address her staff with quiet authority, orchestrating the solution with seamless efficiency.

Julian’s gaze remained fixed on her retreating form. Her graceful frame radiated an inexhaustible strength wrapped in gentleness. She had grown capable of managing any crisis single-handedly.

Admirers must surround her constantly, which explained how effortlessly she had released their shared past.

Julian watched her smile fade into the distance. Each step she took away from him deepened the ache in his chest, resentment and despair battling for dominance within him.

He had ended their relationship. Why did he alone bear this torment?

Eleanor’s fingers closed around his hand.

“Julian, she’s gone—please stop staring.”

Julian’s eyes grew shadowed as he forced himself to look away. He reached for a fresh wine glass, his voice cutting through the air.

“Why did you say that I traded my watch for your necklace?”

𝘑o𝗶n 𝗈𝗎r с𝗈𝗺𝗺𝗎n𝘪𝗍y oո 𝗀а𝗅n𝗈𝘷𝖾𝗹s.c𝘰𝗆

Eleanor stammered.

“Didn’t you tell me to improvise? I panicked about failing, so I consulted your sister… Am I being excessive?”

Eleanor detected no reaction from Katherine. But Julian’s grip threatened to shatter the delicate glass in his hand.

Storm clouds gathered across Julian’s features, yet he maintained his composure. His pride ran too deep, forcing him to deceive even himself—he would never allow others to witness his vulnerability.

A ripple of excitement stirred through the gathered crowd. Colten had made his entrance.

He avoided public gatherings religiously. From his international ventures to his domestic prominence, he remained an influential yet enigmatic figure. His unexpected appearance at Katherine’s celebration sent anticipation crackling through the room.

Julian’s position offered an unobstructed view of the entrance.

Colten commanded attention in his impeccably tailored black suit. The crowd’s chatter died instantly upon seeing him, creating a silence so profound it seemed to echo.

Julian’s mind reeled. After studying Colten’s face, he wondered if exhaustion had triggered hallucinations. He blinked repeatedly, seeking confirmation. But reality refused to bend. Colten moved directly toward Katherine, and they fell into conversation with the ease of longtime companions.

Colten leaned close enough that only she could catch his words.

“Do you believe Julian will lose his composure when he gets a clear look at me?”

Katherine forced a smile.

“What’s your assessment?”

“Unlikely. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t have allowed you to return to my side.”

Katherine offered him champagne with practiced grace.

“Colten, don’t assume a position that doesn’t belong to you.”

She recognized that his presence tonight targeted Julian specifically. Though she remained uninvolved in their conflict, the resulting gossip cut like sharpened blades.

“Mr. Daxton resembles Mr. Nash so completely! They could be mirror images!”

“This cannot be mere coincidence. They must share blood—twins, surely.”

“But Mr. Nash claims only one sister. Would a family of the Nash caliber fail to acknowledge such an exceptional son?”

“Perhaps he was born outside marriage?”

These whispers pursued Katherine like persistent phantoms.

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